A lacquer tea caddy in the natsume form, bearing a hana-ikada composition — cherry blossoms, autumn maple leaves, and a golden raft plank drifting on coursing water. Painted in gold, rose-pink, and vermilion on a deep black ground. Interior in silver. By Chikujo Chikuryo. Presented in its original tomobako.
The hana-ikada — flower raft — is one of the defining motifs of Japanese seasonal poetry: the moment when fallen cherry petals gather on the surface of a river and are carried away together, forming a raft of blossoms. It is a motif of beauty that acknowledges impermanence without mourning it.
Chikujo Chikuryo brings the full range of urushi makie technique to this small object. The black lacquer ground absorbs light; the gold makie traces water currents with a line that is simultaneously precise and fluid. The golden plank (ikada-ita) dominates the lid, its texture worked in relief. Maple leaves in matte gold anchor the autumn side of the composition, while rose-tinted cherry blossoms drift across the spring.
The interior silver ground — a refinement typical of Kyoto makie work — transforms the act of opening the caddy into an event.
🔹 [ SHIPPING & PACKAGING ] • Dispatch: Within 1-6 business days • Carrier: Japan Post EMS / UPS (with tracking) • Packaging: Carefully wrapped with protective materials
